Massachusetts Nurses Association: Berkshire Medical Center Nurses Seek Fair Compromise That Protects Patient Care Ahead of One-Day Unfair Labor…

Massachusetts Nurses Association: Berkshire Medical Center Nurses Seek Fair Compromise That Protects Patient Care Ahead of One-Day Unfair Labor Practice Strike

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Managed Care Weekly Digest -- During negotiations on Wednesday, Berkshire Medical Center nurses attempted to reach a fair compromise with the hospital to avert a one-day unfair labor practice strike scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 3 (see also Massachusetts Nurses Association).

On Wednesday just before 5 p.m., after management ended bargaining at about 4:20 p.m., BMC nurses filed an additional unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board alleging BMC "has consistently refused to bargain or attempt to come to any agreement in relation to the mandatory subjects of staffing and workload."

BMC nurses proposed new compromises during negotiations Wednesday on the key RN issues of safe patient care and health insurance. BMC declined to meet with nurses in person and refused once again to bargain over these mandatory subjects of bargaining. Instead, BMC reiterated their refusal to bargain over staffing and workload to address nurses' need to hold BMC accountable for providing safe patient care.

"For more than a year, Berkshire Medical Center has refused to negotiate in good faith over workload, safe patient care and quality, affordable health insurance," said Alex Neary, RN and Co-Chair of the MNA BMC Bargaining Committee. "On Wednesday, the hospital once again refused to compromise and agree to concrete improvements to patient care."

The federal mediator ended the negotiation session on Wednesday after management told the mediator they were done and had nothing more to say. Nurses were willing to negotiate all night. The MNA committee told the mediator they are ready and willing to return to the table any time prior to the strike.

Keywords for this news article include: Hospital, Legal Issues, Health Insurance, Massachusetts Nurses Association.

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